Indexing device for a bobbin

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for automatically positioning a bobbin relative to a bobbin lugger so that lugs are attached to both sides of the bobbin. The apparatus locates the bobbin in a work position for the reception of lugs in a first part of the bobbin, and then moves the bobbin away from the work position and returns the bobbin to the work position while simultaneously rotating the bobbin to present another part of the bobbin for the reception of lugs.

United States Patent Seltzer 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] INDEXING DEVICE FOR A BOBBIN [72] Inventor: Thomas M. Seltzer, Lewisberry, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Berg Electronics, Inc., New Cumberland,

[22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 77,301

[52] U.S. Cl ..29/203 R, 29/203 D [51] Int. Cl. ..H05k 13/04, HOlr 43/04 [58] Field of Search ..29/203 P, 203 R, 203 B, 203 S,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,550,250 12/1970 cerverikg fififijfi$15505 0 3,576,063 4/1971 Bakermans ..29/203 P Primary Examiner-Thomas l-l. Eager An0rneyThomas Hooker [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for automatically positioning a bobbin relative to a bobbin lugger so that lugs are attached to both sides of the bobbin. The apparatus locates the bobbin in a work position for the reception of lugs in a first part of the bobbin, and then moves the bobbin away from the work position and returns the bobbin to the work position while simultaneously rotating the bobbin to present another part of the bobbin for the reception of lugs.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARm m2 "355150 snml or 2 INVENTOR.

IJ Thomas M. 5cl13cr I ll Thomas Hooker,

' His Atto rne'q PATENTEDMRZI 1912 SHEET 2 BF 2 34 INVENTOR. Thomas M. 56 It Thomas Hooker, His Artorna INDEXING DEVICE FOR A BOBBIN The invention relates to an automatic device for positioning a bobbin relative to a bobbin lugger so that lugs may be attached to different locations on the bobbin. The operator manually positions a bobbin on a mandrel following which the apparatus positions the bobbin adjacent the bobbin lugger so that lugs are attached to the bobbin. The apparatus then automatically moves the bobbin away from the lugger and returns it to the lugger while at the same time rotating the mandrel and bobbin so that when the bobbin is repositioned adjacent the lugger a different portion of the bobbin is in position to receive lugs. After the second set of lugs has been attached to the bobbin the apparatus automatically moves the bobbin from the lugger to permit the operator to remove the bobbin and position a new bobbin on the mandrel.

The mandrel is pivoted away from the bobbin lugger about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal mandrel axis. During motion away from the lugger a cam surface on the mandrel engages a fixed cam surface to rotate the mandrel and bobbin about its longitudinal axis. When the mandrel is pivoted back toward the lugger a second pair of surfaces engage to rotate the mandrel further about its axis so that when it returns to the work position a second portion of the bobbin is in position to receive lugs.

It is conventional to manually load a bobbin on a fixed mandrel following which lugs are automatically secured to one part of the bobbin. If additional lugs are required at a second location on the bobbin the bobbin must be removed from the mandrel, reoriented and repositioned upon the mandrel in order that the second lugging step may be performed. Manual repositioning of the bobbin on the mandrel is inefficient and time consuming. There is a possibility that the bobbin be improperly positioned on the mandrel.

When bobbins are manually repositioned upon a fixed mandrel, it is possible to lug about to bobbins per minute. By utilizing the automatic indexing device disclosed herein it is possible to lug as many as bobbins per minute while reduc ing alignment problems.

In another conventional bobbin lugger two sets of lugging tooling are used and a transport system is provided so that after the bobbin has been loaded on the transport, it is moved to the first lugger where lugs are secured'to a first portion of the bobbin following which the bobbin is moved to the second lugger where lugs are attached to a second location on the bobbin. The invention permits the use ofa single lugger for applying lugs to two locations on a bobbin thereby eliminating the necessity for a second lugger and a single lug source is used to provide lugs for attachment to both locations on the bobbin.

The invention is particularly useful with a bobbin lugger including tooling for inserting one or more lugs through a portion of the bobbin and then bending the lead end of the lugs through an angle relative to the bobbin. In a bobbin lugger of this type it is not possible merely to rotate the bobbin receiving mandrel about its longitudinal axis in order to change the orientation of the bobbin to receive lugs at a second position on the bobbin. The bending tool prohibits rotation of the bobbin in place of the mandrel. This problem is prevented by pivoting the mandrel away from the lugger and rotating the mandrel about its longitudinal axis when the bobbin is clear of the tooling.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, ofwhieh there are two sheets.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an indexing device according to the invention in which the mandrel is shown in dotted lines in the start position and in solid lines in the lugging position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating movement of the mandrel away from the lugging position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus illustrating the mandrel in the position of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the movement and rotation of the mandrel away from the lugger and back toward the lugger so that it rotates the bobbin to prevent a second lug receiving side to the applicator tooling.

FIG. 1 illustrates an indexing device 10 for indexing a bobbin comprising a fixed base 12 having a pair of side walls 14 and 16 extending upwardly therefrom. A mandrel support 18 is confined between the walls. Pin 20 extends through bores in support 18 and walls 14 and 16 to permit pivotal movement of the support relative to the walls. The pin is secured to support 18. One end of spring 22 is secured to the end of pin 20 adjacent side wall 16 and the other end of the spring is held on the side wall. A mandrel 24 is rotatably mounted on support 18 so that it is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis. The spring 22 biases the support and mandrel toward the position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 where the mandrel axis is horizontal. The end 26 of mandrel 24 is shaped so that plastic bobbin 28 may be positioned on end 26 with the lug receiving bobbin sides 30 and 32 adjacent side walls 14 and 16.

The cam 34 is secured to the free end piston rod 36 of air cylinder 38 and rests upon the top surface of base 12 between side walls 14 and 16. When the air cylinder 38 is extended the cam moves into contact with the mandrel support 18 so that cam surface 40 engages corner 42 of the mandrel support and rotates the mandrel and support against spring 22 from the horizontal position to a position where the axis of the mandrel is vertical. When air cylinder 38 is retracted. cam 34 is withdrawn from beneath support 42 and spring 22 rotates the mandrel and support back to the horizontal position.

Mandrel 24 includes a circumferential collar having a pair of diametrically opposed flat surfaces 46 and two pairs of diametrically opposed indexing pins 48 and 50. The pins 48 project from the side of collar 44 toward the free end of the mandrel and the pins 50 project from the side of the collar away from the end of the mandrel. As the mandrel is pivoted away from and than back toward the horizontal position, pins 48 and 50 engage fixed indexing pins 52 and 54 to rotate the mandrel through an angle of 180. Fixed pin 52 projects from a fixed support 56 secured to side 16 and is located somewhat above the side walls of the apparatus so that as the mandrel is pivoted toward the vertical position it engages one of the pins 48 to rotate the mandrel through an angle of Fixed pin 54 extends from a fixed support 58 secured to side wall 14 and projects into the path of one of the pins 50 as the mandrel is pivoted back to the horizontal position so that it rotates the mandrel through a second 90 During rotation from the horizontal to the vertical, pins 50 do not engage pin 54 and during rotation from the vertical to the horizontal, pins 48 do not engage pin 52.

As the mandrel is moved toward the horizontal orientation, one of the flat surfaces 60 of collar 62 engages the side of vertical pin 64 to help assure that the mandrel is in proper angular alignment about its longitudinal axis. There is a slight clearance between the pin and sides 60 which permits the exact angular orientation of the mandrel to be determined by the flush engagement between the bottom surface 46 of collar 44 and a flat surface 66 on base 12. Thus, the sliding engagement between pins 48 and 50 carried by the mandrel and fixed pins 52 and 54, rotates the mandrel through approximately and the exact angular orientation is assured by contact between alignment surfaces on the mandrel and corresponding surfaces on the base.

The operation of the indexing device 10 will now be described. When the apparatus 10 is in the start position, air cylinder 38 is extended so that cam 34 is positioned beneath mandrel support 18 and holds the mandrel 24 in the vertical position as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1. A bobbin 28 is then positioned on the end 26 of the mandrel with the lug receiving portions 30 and 32 of the bobbin located on the sides of the mandrel adjacent walls 14 and 16.

After the bobbin is mounted on the mandrel, air cylinder 38 is retracted to withdraw cam 34 and permit spring 22 to pivot the mandrel and support from the vertical position to the horizontal position of FIG. 1. As the mandrel is moved toward the horizontal position one pin 50 engages the upper surface of fixed pin 54 so that with further downward pivotal movement of the mandrel the engagement with pin 50 rotates the mandrel in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrows 68 in FIG. 6. As the mandrel rotates pin 50 is moved toward the free end of pin 54 and after rotation through approximately 90 the pin 50 falls from pin 54. Further pivotal movement of the mandrel by spring 22 brings a flat surface 60 of collar 62 into engagement with pin 64 to assure that as the mandrel approaches the horizontal position flat 46 on collar 44 is essentially parallel to surface 66 on base 12. When the mandrel is in the horizontal position the surfaces 46 and 66 will come into flush engagement with each other to assure accurate angular orientation of the mandrel. This position is illustrated in FIG. I. It will be seen that the bobbin and mandrel have been rotated through an angle of 90 so that the lug receiving portion 30 of the bobbin is located within a recess in lugger tooling 68.

With the bobbin in this position, the lugger is actuated so that three lugs 70 are inserted through the opening 71 in bobbin portion 30 so that the lead ends of the lugs project past portion 30. Lug bending portion 74 of the lugger tooling 68 is then actuated to bend the ends 72 through an angle of 90 so that they project away from the body of the bobbin as illustrated in FIG. 1. With the bobbin positioned as in FIG. I to receive lugs in portion 30, the lugger tooling 68 closely surrounds portion 30 so that it is not possible to orient bobbin portion 32 adjacent the tooling by merely rotating mandrel 24 and bobbin 28 about its longitudinal axis. The lugging tooling 68 is schematically illustrated in the drawings as the construction of this tooling forms no part of the invention.

After lugs 70 have been inserted in holes 71 in the bobbin portion 30 and the free ends 72 thereof have been bent away from the bobbin, air cylinder 38 is extended so that the mandrel 24 is rotated from the horizontal position to the vertical position. As the mandrel is pivoted toward the vertical position, a pin 48 on the mandrel collar 44 engages fixed pin 52 so as to rotate the mandrel in the direction of arrow 76 as illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates the first engagement between pins 48 and 52, FIG. illustrates rotation of the mandrel. Rotation of the mandrel in this direction continues until the pin 48 falls from the end of pin 52. At this time the mandrel has been rotated about its longitudinal axis through an angle of 90 and the mandrel has been pivoted about the axis of the pin until the mandrel has reached the vertical position as also illustrated in FIG. 2.

After the mandrel has been pivoted up to the vertical position, air cylinder 38 is again retracted so that spring 22 pivots the mandrel back toward the lugger tooling 68. As the mandrel pivots back toward the tooling, one of the pins 50 on collar 44 engages fixed pin 54 so that the mandrel continues to be rotated about its longitudinal axis in the same direction as it was rotated during pivoting toward the vertical position. Rotation of the mandrel during pivoting back toward the tooling continues until pin 50 falls off the end of pin 54 and the mandrel has been rotated through an additional 90. Rotation of the mandrel during pivoting back toward the lugger tooling is illustrated in FIG. 6.

As the mandrel approaches the horizontal position a surface 60 engages the side of pin 64 and surface 46 rests flush upon surface 66 to assure that the mandrel is accurately located. When the mandrel is pivoted away from the horizontal position, the bobbin has rotated 90 about the longitudinal axis. Return pivoting of the mandrel rotates the bobbin in the same direction through an additional 90 so that when the mandrel has been returned to the horizontal position, lug receiving portion 32 is located within the lugging tooling 68 and the previously lugged bobbin portion is above the tooling. With the mandrel and bobbin in this position the lugger is again actuated to insert lugs through the lug receiving openings in bobbin portion 32 and bend the free ends thereof away from the bobbin as previously described.

After the lugs have been attached to bobbin portion 32, air cylinder 30 is again extended so that the mandrel is pivoted back to the vertical position. This pivot motion again results in a rotation of the mandrel'in the same direction as it has been previously rotates so that when the vertical position is reached the mandrel has been rotated through a full 360. The operator may then remove the lugged bobbin and position another bobbin upon the mandrel whereupon the cycle may be repeated.

With each 90 pivot movement of the mandrel between the horizontal and vertical positions, the wiped pin connections between the mandrel pins and the fixed pins rotates the mandrel through 90. Pairs of diametrically opposed pins 48 and 50 are provided so that each 90 pivot movement of the man'- drel results in a 90 rotation of the mandrel about its longitudinal axis.

The term bobbin as used herein is not intended to be limited to plastic parts of the type disclosed herein and is intended to include other forms of supports for lugs, contacts, terminals and the like. Also lug", lugging and lugger" are intended to include other forms of terminals and contacts and the methods and apparatus used to apply them to supports.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

WhatI claim as my invention is:

1. Indexing apparatus for a bobbin or the like comprising holding means for holding a bobbin and drive means for locating said holding means in a first position for reception of the bobbin, moving said holding means to a second position so that a portion of the bobbin is in a work position to receive a lug, moving said holding means and bobbin away from said work position and back to said work position while at the same time changing the orientation of the bobbin relative to the work position so that a second portion of the bobbin is in said work position to receive a second lug and returning said means and bobbin to said first position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises a mandrel adapted to be fitted within an interior opening in a bobbin, said second means including means for moving said mandrel between said first and second positions and means for rotating said mandrel about the longitudinal axis thereof while away from said work position.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said first means includes a support, a block pivotally mounted on said support with the mandrel rotatably secured to the block, and said second means includes rotation means for rotating said mandrel in response to pivot movement of said block.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said mandrel rotation means comprises a fixed surface on said base and a surface on said mandrel, said fixed surface lying within the path of said mandrel surface during pivot movement of said block whereby when the block is pivoted said surfaces engage each other and the mandrel is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

5. Apparatus for indexing a bobbin relative to the lugging tooling of a bobbin lugger. comprising a base adjacent said tool, a mandrel support mounted on said base to permit movement relative to the tooling, a mandrel rotatably mounted on said support and including an end adapted to hold a bobbin, support drive means operable upon the mandrel support for moving the mandrel away from and back to the lugger tooling, and mandrel drive means for rotating the mandrel to change the orientation of the bobbin held thereon when the mandrel is away from the lugger tooling.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said mandrel support is pivotally mounted on said base and said drive means engages said support to pivot the mandrel away from and back toward the lugger tooling.

7. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said mandrel drive means includes a first surface on said base and a second surface on said mandrel, said first and second surfaces being located relative to each other so that movement of said support brings said surfaces into engagement to rotate the mandrel and bobbin thereon.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 including a third surface on said base and a fourth surface on said mandrel, said first and second surfaces arranged so as to engage and rotate said mandrel during movement thereof away from the lugger tooling and said third and fourth surfaces arranged to engage each other and rotate the mandrel during movement thereof back toward said tooling. 

1. Indexing apparatus for a bobbin or the like comprising holding means for holding a bobbin and drive means for locating said holding means in a first position for reception of the bobbin, moving said holding means to a second position so that a portion of the bobbin is in a work position to receive a lug, moving said holding means and bobbin away from said work position and back to said work position while at the same time changing the orientation of the bobbin relative to the work position so that a second portion of tHe bobbin is in said work position to receive a second lug and returning said means and bobbin to said first position.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises a mandrel adapted to be fitted within an interior opening in a bobbin, said second means including means for moving said mandrel between said first and second positions and means for rotating said mandrel about the longitudinal axis thereof while away from said work position.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said first means includes a support, a block pivotally mounted on said support with the mandrel rotatably secured to the block, and said second means includes rotation means for rotating said mandrel in response to pivot movement of said block.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said mandrel rotation means comprises a fixed surface on said base and a surface on said mandrel, said fixed surface lying within the path of said mandrel surface during pivot movement of said block whereby when the block is pivoted said surfaces engage each other and the mandrel is rotated about its longitudinal axis.
 5. Apparatus for indexing a bobbin relative to the lugging tooling of a bobbin lugger, comprising a base adjacent said tool, a mandrel support mounted on said base to permit movement relative to the tooling, a mandrel rotatably mounted on said support and including an end adapted to hold a bobbin, support drive means operable upon the mandrel support for moving the mandrel away from and back to the lugger tooling, and mandrel drive means for rotating the mandrel to change the orientation of the bobbin held thereon when the mandrel is away from the lugger tooling.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said mandrel support is pivotally mounted on said base and said drive means engages said support to pivot the mandrel away from and back toward the lugger tooling.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said mandrel drive means includes a first surface on said base and a second surface on said mandrel, said first and second surfaces being located relative to each other so that movement of said support brings said surfaces into engagement to rotate the mandrel and bobbin thereon.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 7 including a third surface on said base and a fourth surface on said mandrel, said first and second surfaces arranged so as to engage and rotate said mandrel during movement thereof away from the lugger tooling and said third and fourth surfaces arranged to engage each other and rotate the mandrel during movement thereof back toward said tooling.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 8 including alignment means operable upon movement of the mandrel immediately adjacent said tooling for assuring accurate rotational alignment of the mandrel and bobbin thereon relative to such tooling.
 10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said alignment means comprises a flat surface on said mandrel and a flat surface on said base arranged so that when the mandrel is properly oriented relative to such tooling such surfaces are flush upon one another. 